Expanding vein tube



y 1940- M. VANDEGRIFT 2,201,749

EXPANDING VEIN TUBE Filed Feb. 15, 1939 Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED ear-Eur OFFICE 12 Claims.

The present invention relates to an undertakers instrument and more particularly to an expanding vein tube.

The vein tube of the present invention is used in the process of draining blood from human bodies during embalming and it is entered in the axillary vein, in the axilla or armpit, and follows a course from the axillary vein to the subclavian vein to the sterno-clavicular junction, past the subclavian valve.

The purpose of the present invention is to release the pressure at the junction of the internal jugular vein, thereby causing an outlet large enough for clots of coagulated blood and stringy masses of fibrin to pass through the tube, thereby eliminating obstruction of the tube.

Other devices have been proposed for the same purpose but they are more or less complicated and involvea plurality of parts which may be come lost, whereas the present invention is of an extremely simple character consisting oi minimum of parts which are all attached so as to eliminate the loss of parts.

An object of the present invention is to provide an expanding vein tube which is so designed that when moved to its contracted position prior to removal from the vein, there is little or no likelihood of pinching the vein, which has been found to be an objectionable characteristic in other devices of this type.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be clearly apparent to one skilled in the art and will be more obvious as the description proceeds.

Referring to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification:

. Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in its fully contracted position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the vein tube in its expanded position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of Fig. 1.

Fig.4 is a plan View of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the vein tube in its contracted condition, the plunger being removed.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the vein tube in its expanded condition, the plunger likewise being removed, and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the split portion of the tube while in its contracted condition.

In the drawing l indicates a veintube which is split vertically throughout the greater portion of its length along diametrically opposed lines as at 2, 2, which provide semi-circular legs 3 and :l.

The tube is made of resilient material and the legs 3 and 4 are normally biased away from each other or into expanded position, as shown in Fig. 2, where it can be seen that the tube flares gradually outwardly toward the entering end.

The tube 5 is provided with a drain pipe 5 carrying a nipple 6 at the end thereof for attachment to suitable drainage tubes.

Fitting within the tube l is a second tube split throughout its length along diametrically opposed 10 lines as indicated at l, l to provide sections 8 and 9.

The sections 5 and 9 are securedto the legs and i, respectively, by spot-welding as indicated at it! and I l, but it is to be understood, of course,

leg 3 and the section ii which is rigidly secured thereto describe an are slightly in excess of 180.

In like manner the leg 4 and the section 9 describe an arc of slightly more than 3.80", the purpose of which will be hereinafter pointed out.

In order that the vein tube may be contracted for insertion into the axillary vein, a cylindrical plunger i2 is slidably mounted in the tube and cooperates with the sections 8 and a to contract the legs 3 and ii into substantially abutting relaticn against the-bias normally imposed thereon.

The plunger I2 is provided with an operating rod 53 passing through a ferrule M threaded on the endof the tube 5 and at its outer end the rod it carries the operating handle it.

It is to be noted that the sections 3 and 9 extend from the tip or entering end of the vein tube rearwardly to a point adjacent the drain pipe 5 and that the section 8 is provided with openings it while the section ii is provided with openings ii to facilitate drainage of blood into the tube.

,From an inspection of Fig. 6 it can be seen that the section 8 overhangs the plunger l2 and that the section 9 underhangs the same plunger so that as the plunger is moved from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the plunger engages the overhanging and underhanging lips of the sections 8 and 9 and moves the same toward a straight line in such a manner that the legs 3 andA which carry the respective sections are gradually brought together into contracted position as shown in Fig. 1.

It is obvious that without the sections 8 and 9 movement of the plunger l2 could have no efiect in moving the legs 3 and 4 towards each other, but due to the fact that each leg and the section carried thereby describe an arc of more than 180, reciprocating movement of the plunger i2 causes the plunger to bear against the overhanging portion of the segment 8 and the underhanging portion of the segment 9 to thereby straighten the expanded legs as described.

In other words, as the legs 3 and 4 are normally biased away from each other, the attached sections 8 and 9 are moved to similar positions so that opposed portions of the respective legs within the bore present camming surfaces normally converging toward the free end of the tube. The plunger I2 rides between the converging faces and when moved toward the free ends of the tube separates these surfaces until they assume a parallel relationship and the legs are thereby drawn together.

The disposition of the sections 8 and 9 with respect to the legs 3 and 4 provides means to prevent spreading of the legs in a direction transverse to the direction of bias when the tube is contracted for insertion into the veins.

Due to the fact that the legs 3 and 4 are normally biased to expanded position, it is likewise obvious that as the plunger is moved rearwardly the plunger is disengaged from the overhanging and underhanging portions of the sections 8 and 9, whereupon the legs 3 and 4 are free to assume their normally expanded position away from each other.

An additional advantage of the provision of the split inner tube having the overhanging and underhanging portions of the sections 8 and 9 is that as the tube is contracted or closed prior to withdrawal from the vein, any tendency for the vein to sag between the legs is prevented by the overhanging portions of the sections 8 and 9, and as the tubes are drawn together, any of the vein that might lie between the legs is gradually forced from between the legs due to the curvature of the overhanging and underhanging lips so that there is little or no likelihood of pinching the same as the tube is contracted.

The tube I and the sections 8 and 9 are beveled as at I8 and I9, respectively, so as to facilitate entry of the tube into the vein, and the plunger is likewise provided with a rounded end as at 20 for the same purpose. Likewise the inner tube consisting of the sections 8 and 9 is beveled as at 2| to facilitate entry of the plunger l2 into the same.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the present invention is of very simple character but one which provides the necessary expansion of the veins due to the inherent resiliency of the material used, so that blood clots or similar materials will not clog the tube but will be permitted to enter through the expanded end and conducted readily to the drain pipe 5.

It is apparent from an inspection of Fig. 6 that in its expanded condition there are substantially two drain conduits provided, one by the leg 3 and its associated section 8 and the second drain conduit by means of the leg 4' and its associated section 9 While the present invention has been shown and described as expanding in a horizontal plane it is obvious that it can likewise be made to ex pand in a vertical direction if such is found desirable, in which case the drain pipe need merely be attached to the tube l at a point spaced angularly from the point of attachment, as disclosed.

It will also be apparent that while the present invention has been described as consisting of two tubes, one within the other, the same may be constructed in any suitable manner and 01' any suitable material so long as the operation as disclosed may be carried out.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube member split throughout a portion of its length to form legs normally biased away irom each other, and a plunger member slidable within said tube, one of said members being contoured to provide a cooperating engagement with the other member, whereby movement of the plunger in one direction draws said legs together.

2. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split throughout a portion of its length to form resilient legs normally biased away from each other, a tube split from end to end lying within the first-mentioned tube, one section of the inner tube being secured to one leg of the outer tube and the other section of the inner tube being secured to the opposite legs, the said inner tube being secured to said legs so that the line of division thereof extends diagonally with reierence to the line of division of the first split tube, and a plunger slidable in and cooperating with said inner tube to contract or permit expansion of said legs.

3. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split throughout a portion of its length to form resilient legs normally biased away from each other, an inner tube split from end to end and ex tending throughout the length of the split portion of said outer tube, means for securing one section of the inner tube to one leg and the other section of the inner tube to the opposite leg, each leg and its associated section describing an arc in excess of and a plunger slidable in said inner tube and engaging the walls thereof to contract said legs as the plunger moves forwardly, movement of the plunger in the opposite direction permitting expansion of said legs.

4. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split along diametrically opposed lines throughout a. portion of its length to form resilient legs normally biased away from each other, an arcuate lip carried by one leg and forming a continuation of the arc of said leg at its upper edge,

and an arcuate lip carried by the other leg and forming a continuation of the arc of said leg at its lower edge, a plunger slidably mounted in said tube and engaging said lips to contract the legs, and a handle for operating said plunger.

5. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split to form opposed legs normally biased away from each other, and a plunger slidable within said tube and engaging the inner walls of the legs, said legs being contoured to provide a cooperating engagement with the plunger, whereby movement of the plunger in one direction draws said legs together.

6. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split to form resilient legs normally biased away from each other, an inner split tube extending throughout the length of said first named split tube, the sections of inner tube being welded to adjacent sections of the outer tube so that each leg and its associated section describes an are in excess of and a plunger slidable in said inner tube and engaging the walls thereof to contract said legs as the plunger moves in one direction, movement of the plunger in the opposite direction permitting expansion of said legs.

'7 An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split in a vertical plane to form opposed legs normally biased away fromeach other, an inner split tube extending throughout the split portions of the outer tube, said inner tube being split in a plane diagonal to the plane of split of the outer tube, means for securing one section of the inner tube to one leg and the other section of the inner tube to the opposite leg, whereby each leg and its associated section describes an arc in excess of 180, and a plunger slidable in said inner tube and engaging the walls thereof to contract said legs as the plunger moves forwardly, movement in the opposite direction permitting expansion of said legs.

8. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split in one plane to form opposed legs normally biased away from each other, an inner split tube extending throughout the split portion of the outer tube, said inner tube being split in a plane diagonal to the plane of split of the outer tube, means for securing one section of the inner tube to one leg and the other section of the inner tube to the opposite leg, whereby each leg and its associated section describes an arc in excess of 180, and a plunger slidable in said inner tube and engaging the walls thereof to contract said legs as the plunger moves forwardly, movement in the opposite direction permitting expansion of said legs.

9. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split to form opposed legs normally biased away from each other, a plunger slidable within said tube and engaging the inner walls of the legs,

said legs being contoured to provide a cooperating engagement with the plunger, whereby move ment of the plunger in one direction draws said legs together, said legs being provided with drain openings extending through the walls thereof.

10. An expanding vein tube comprising-a tube split to form opposed legs normally biased away from each other, a plunger slidable within the tube and means on the legs cooperating with the plunger to draw said legs together when the plunger is moved in one direction and to permit separation of the legs when the plunger is moved in the opposite direction.

11. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split to form legs normally biased away from each other, said tube being provided with a bore, opposed portionspf the respective legs within the bore being provided with camming surfaces normally converging toward the free end of the tube, and a plunger reciprocating within the bore and cooperating with said surfaces to cause said surfaces to assume substantially a parallel relation when the plunger is moved in one direction, whereby said legs are drawn together.

12. An expanding vein tube comprising a tube split to form legs normally biased away from each other, said tube being provided with a bore,

' opposed portions of the respective legs within the bore being provided with camming surfaces normally converging toward the free end of the tube, a plunger reciprocating within the bore and cooperating with said surfaces to cause said surfaces to assume substantially a parallel relation when the plunger is moved in one direction, whereby said legs are drawn together, and means for preventing spreading of the legs in a direction transverse to the direction of bias when the tube is contracted.

MIDDLETON VANDEGRIFI. 

